Machine for splitting leather



(NoModeL) i G. L: TYLER.

Machine for Splitting Leather.

Patented May 24,1881.

"- m Wm m c UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE IL. TYLER, E LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS.

' MACHINE FOR SPLITTING LEATHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 242,079, dated May 24, 1881.

Application filed March 5, 1881.

Figure 1 of the drawings is an isometrical projection, illustrating my invention in complete working order. The lower feed-roll, A, which is exactly like the upper feed-roll, A, is partially hidden in this view by the adjustable sliding -divided holder 0,,with its divided part 0, and by the knife orcutter B. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section cut on the line as a:

split nearly in two, but with the two parts thereof held together at'the line y y.

The mode of splitting leather by the use of: my invention, so as to leave the two parts of the split piece attachedon' the line y y, Fig. 4, by a connection of leather of the desired thickness, forms theleading feature of my invention, and the manner of regulating the thickness of said connection by means of the adjustable sliding divided holder 0, whereby the knife or cutter B is moved longitudinally from or toward the guide E, will be hereinafter fully described.

My invention, as a whole, consists of the mode of splitting leather by means of an adjustable sliding divided holder with an adjustable knife or cutter attached thereto, and with the guideE, the whole in combination with two ordinary adjustable feed-rolls. The invention is of use, primarily, for utilizing small and perhaps otherwise useless pieces of leatherin making center lifts for the heels of boots and shoes, so that said lifts Shall each be in one piece and in proper and convenient form for use.-

The two feed-rolls A and A are constructed as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, their journals being held in the ordinary journal-boxes a, said jour- Dal-boxes being arranged so as to slide up and down in the two standards A by any suitable and well-known means. Thefour spiral springs (No model.)

a are used as the well-known means of adjusting the feed-rolls for the accommodation of leather of varied thickness. The two upper springs are moved by means of the two screws a said screws being turned by the well-known means ofin'sertinga turning-rod in the openings a, and are held by the nuts to. The two bearin gs a form bearin gs both for said upper springs a and said screws o the tops of the two standards A forming the upper bearings for said upper springs, and the bases of the two standards A form the lower bearings for the two lower springs M, with the lower journal-boxes, a, as the upperbearin gs of said lower springs; but I do not claim the feed-rolls or their arrangement and means of adjustment in the standards A as new in the abstract, but merely in combination with the adjustable sliding holder, the adjustable cutter, and the guide, to be hereinafter described.

; (J is the adjustable sliding divided holder hereinbefore referred to. Said holder is fastened to the two standards A by means of the two screws 0, and the holder may be adjusted up and down without removing the screws 0, because of the elongated slots 0 This holder is a divided one, because the part 0 thereof can be taken off of the main part O by removing the screw 0, and it is a sliding holder in so far as that when the sliding part 0 is fastened to the main part of the holder 0 by means ofthe screw 0 the said slidingpart O can be moved longitudinally, because of the elongated slot 0 and the knife or cutter B being attached to said part 0 of the holder 0 by means of the two screws b, said knife moves longitudinally when said part 0 is moved. The elongated slots b enable the operator to adjust the knife B by moving said knifeforward and back.

E forms a guide and a bearing for the edge of the piece of leather during the process of splitting.

The two gears G, it is obvious, mesh together for the purpose of revolving the two feed-rolls A and A when the power is applied. The power may be applied in any known and suitable manner, but should, of course, be so applied as that the two gears G will mesh proper- Before describing the operation of the invention I will say that Fig. 1 of the drawings shows the back of the machine as practically operated, and in the use of the words back" and front, as hereinafter made, those words should be understood as applied to the machine when in practical operation.

The knife B should be so adjusted by taking advantage of the elongated slots b that the edge of the knife (which edge extends the entire lengthot' the front of said knife) shall be a very little back of a line drawn between the two feed-rolls, longitudinally of said rolls and along the center thereof, so that the feed rolls may be enabled to get a good hold of a piece of leather before the edge thereof reaches the knife.

The object of the four springs a? is to secure such adjustment of the feed-rolls A and A that leather of varied thickness will always be split atthe center thereof, both the upper and lower feed-rolls, A and A, respectively being provided with springs (1 as shown in the drawings.

The knife or cutter B is not quite as long as the distance from the end of the main holder 0, designated 0 to the guide E, so as to leave play for sliding the part 0 of said main holder by taking advantage of the elongated slot 0 A piece of leather is first cut into a shape to conform to the contour of one half of a sole or heel blank, when centrally and longitudinally divided, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. Said piece is then inserted between the feedrolls A and A from the front of the machine, with the edge y of said piece bearing against the face of the guide E. Said piece of leather is split along its entire length, and passes out ot'the back of the machine, with one side of said now split piece above and the other below the knife B. The space between the end a of the knife B and the guide E is regulated in width by moving the slidingpart G of the main holder 0 longitudinally, in the manner before described.

It will be readily seen that it a piece of leather is split in the manner before described, the guide E, being used as a guide to and bearing for said piece of leather, the connection of leather which holds the two split parts together, which connection is designated by the line 3 y in Fig. 4, will be of a thickness proportionate to the width of space between the end a of the knife B and the face of the guide E, so that said thickness of connection may beregulated by adjusting the knifeB by means of the movable sliding part 0, in the manner hereinbefore fully described.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An improvement in the art of forming boot and shoe sole and heel blanks, consisting in cutting or shaving a piece of leather into the outline or contour of half of a sole or heel blank, when divided centrally and longitudinally, then splitting such prepared piece of leather, leaving a connecting or hinged portion, then turning the divided portions outwardly, thus producing a sole or heel blank of full width, having the desired contour, all substantially as set forth.

2. The adjustable divided holder 0, with movable sliding part 0', the knife or cutter B, and the guide E, in combination with the two feed-rolls A and A, said rolls being provided with the adjusting-springs a, all constructed and arranged substantially in the manner described and shown, and for the purpose set forth.

Witnesses: GEORGE L. TYLER.

GEo. A. KING, FRANCIS M. BOUTWELL. 

